Make: Felt patches for holey leggings

Winter has been very cruel to the leggings in our house. There is nary a pair without a holey knee or two. But rather than throw them away, I spent a few hours making felt patches to cover the holes and voila - even cooler tights!

To make these knee patches, I drew a heart shape onto paper and cut out, to make a pattern. I then pinned the pattern to scraps of felt and cut out heart shapes. Then I positioned and pinned the hearts over the knee holes, and hand-sewed with a simple running stitch.

Easy and so effective! You could also cut simple shapes like circles, stars triangles and squares. Raid the cookie cutter drawer to make some patterns. A gem-shape would look great, especially with some contrasting stitching to mark the facets! Let me know if you make felt knee patches for your kids' leggings or pants - I'd love to see pics.

Note - I wash with cold water and I don't use the dryer; both of which may affect the felt and cause shrinkage.

[My little one wears her leggings with a tutu from Tutu du Monde.]

Image: Steph Bond-Hutkin | Bondville

Hello Tokyo fabric range from Lisa Tilse at the red thread - 30% off

Lisa Tilse (the red thread) is well known for her beautifully designed craft panels and softie DIY kits, as well as her graphic design, craft, styling and art. Lisa has taken her love for cute Japanese kawaii-style design and created a gorgeous range of fabric and craft panels for Robert Kaufman Fabrics. I got a sneak-peek of the fabrics when Lisa came over to do a mini photo-shoot in my daughter's bedroom:

The Hello Tokyo range is absolutely gorgeous in real life too. I love the fun, bright colour palette, and of course those super-cute Japanese kokeshi dolls and sweet kitty cat character panels to sew up into cushions and softies, or use for applique.

The Hello Tokyo fabric range will be available in the US later in the year, and is stocked in Australia at various retailers now (no stockist list yet, but check via your favourite search engine). And we're in luck! the remnant warehouse is offering Hello Tokyo at 30% off for Australian customers until 18th June, 2013. (Prices are displayed at the full cost – discount is applied at checkout). I can't even wait to have a quilt made with these fabrics. I might even try my hand at it myself. Happy shopping and crafting!

Images: Lisa Tilse | the red thread

(prices displayed are the full cost – discount is applied at checkout) - See more at: http://www.theredthreadblog.com/#sthash.ldjcTuEa.dpuf

Make: vintage hankie bunting and curtain

Do you have any cute vintage kids' handkerchiefs stashed away somewhere? (ask your Mum!). I have quite a cute little collection and as it's not looked fondly upon by institutions to have a hankie stashed in your sleeve anymore (oh the germs!), my old hankies from childhood have been collecting dust.

So! I thought I would come up with a few ideas to use them, and wrote an article about it for eBay's Mum's Business website. You can head here to read it.

First up was some very simple bunting, which I used for my little one's vintage toy-themed 3rd birthday party. I didn't even sew it together, and just used washi tape!

Next was a simple frame with a hankie inside for displaying in a toy room or child's bedroom.

And third is a lovely, light, airy curtain for my little one's room. I secured the hankies together with tape for the trial and will now sew them together as it's just too cute. It also makes a great little table cloth for the kids' table.

What have you done with your hankies, or vintage fabric scraps?

Images: Steph Bond-Hutkin | Bondville

Make: get crafty with old tshirts

I've been getting crafty over the school holidays. There is a big pile of Mr Bondville's tshirts sitting in my fabric stash that I have been meaning to upcycle for a long time. Well an article that I wrote for eBay's Mum's Business was the incentive I needed to start cutting into those tshirts and to get crafty.

As well as framing them, using them for rags, and making an apron, I cut the tshirts up to make tshirt yarn, and tried weaving, knitting and sewing with it. Here are some of my fun projects:

1. Coil bowl
After a bit of practice, I whipped up this cute coil bowl to hold my rings using this great tutorial by Lisa (the red thread).

2. Braided bracelet
I love my new braided bracelet, inspired by this tutorial by Henry Happened

3. Tea cosy
I knitted a simple rectangle using the tshirt yarn and secured with neon Brickie's Line to make this stretchy tea cosy for the tea pot. Super easy.

and.... Baby wipes
The simplest of all - I cut a soft tshirt up into 15cm squares to make a pile of baby wipes. Just add a little Sorbolene and you have an eco-friendly, inexpensive and kind-on-baby's-bum way to clean that little toosh when you're at home. (you could also parcel up in your nappy bag).

As my friend Steph (Moobear Designs) said, I'll never throw away another tshirt again. Head over to Mum's Business to read the whole article. How do you upcycle your (or his) old tshirts?

Images: Steph Bond-Hutkin | Bondville

Make: Craft Schmaft hot air balloon mobile kit

Do you have any new babies in your life? I have my eye on these hot air balloon mobile craft kits from Sydney-based Claire Waring of Craft Schmaft who I follow on Instagram. All you will need are scissors, a needle, thread, and some toy stuffing, and you can make a gorgeous handmade mobile that is sure to be adored. The circus colourway is perfect for a boy or a girl (other options also available). What a fab baby shower gift! You can find these mobile kits as well as other fun craft kits and patterns in the Craft Schmaft online store.

Image: Craft Schmaft

Prints Charming for Spotlight collaboration

Well I know where I will be heading this weekend for lovely Spring fabrics. Spotlight has teamed up with Bondville favourites and Sydney inner west fabric designers Prints Charming on a great collection.

The Prints Charming collection for Spotlight is printed on cotton drill, 112cm wide and priced at $14.99 per metre. I'm thinking table cloth, cushions, sweet summer frocks for little girls. Those folk art-style birds and hearts are begging for some embroidery detail for a small clutch or pinafore pockets.

Let me know if you have picked up any, and if you have an projects on the boil. Feel free to link to them in the comments below.

Read more about Prints Charming here on Bondville.

Images: Spotlight

Kristen Doran textiles and craft update

My latest obsession! This is an amazing iPad cover by Kristen Doran that my friend Lisa gave to me for my birthday last month (thank you Lisa!!!). They are not in Kristen's store yet, but you could make this yourself if you were feeling crafty with Kristen's Winter Nest Panel in fluoro orange on cream. This fabric would also make incredible cushions, and you just have to check out the amazing quilt that Kristen made for her son using this panel. Yardage coming soon too. I thought I would see what else Sydney-based Kristen has been up to recently...

Kristen makes emboidery easy with these stitch panels with pre-punched holes. Use your own embroidery floss and customise to suit your space. They come in wood veneer or red acrylic, and are available in the circle design or the geometric triangle design. Kristen always seems to know what in on-trend - the wood triangle stitch panel embroidered with fluro thread might just blow my mind.

 More embroidery - this time a cute kokeshi doll embroidery kit, including cream organic cotton/hemp fabric with doll outline and face pre-printed with instructions for you to create your own doll, or use as a feature panel for a girls' dress, cushion, quilt etc.

Kisten's new fang monsters craft panel was designed with help from her son Harry, and hand screen-printed here in Australia. The printed area is 36cm x 43cm and would make great cushions for a child's room, feature blocks for a quilt, library bag, etc. Available in three colourways.

While you are in crafting mode, pick up Kristen's cute bunny sewing pattern to use up your fabric scraps. The pattern includes photos, pattern pieces and instructions.

You can find all Kristen's products in the online store and fabrics at stockists around the world. If you're crafty, check out Kristen's sewing retreat in the Blue Mountains in June. Read more about Kristen Doran here on Bondville.

Images: all by Kristen Doran except top image of iPad cover by Steph Bond-Hutkin

Roxy Longsocks sewing pattern from the red thread

Here's a lovely Christmas gift for a crafty friend or family member. Or for you to make this lovely gift for a special little person. Lisa Tilse from the red thread has just released a new sewing pattern + fabric face panel for these super-cute Roxy Longsocks dolls, named after her daughter.

How cute! The kit contains a sewing pattern and instructions and a face panel of your choice printed on linen/cotton blend fabric. Then simply choose from your own fabric stash and stuffing to create the doll. It's also a great way to use up scraps of fabric that you love. 

The Springtime version features a mini capelet and the Wintertime version includes a scarf and goodie pattern.You can also make your own felt or fabric face with the included pattern. The finished doll is lovely and big at around 66cm / 22.5 inches tall. 

You can find Roxy Longsocks pattern and panels in the red thread online store and in select fabric quilting shops in Australia and New Zealand early 2012.

Images: the red thread

Craft: The Cupcake Dress

It's been a loooooong time since I have done any serious sewing. And recently I bought this fabo dress kit from Aunty Cookie to make for my big girl. But I was too scared to cut into the divine fabric straight away, so I bought some practice material, my Mum helped me make a pattern, and this is the practice dress that I made! I'm totally thrilled with it. In fact, this will be the Christmas dress, and the real thing might get made in the new year ;)

Image: Steph Bond

Hip Products: OK, Let's Sew! patterns and kits

My friend Lisa from The Red Thread is such a clever thing. I've written about Lisa's SushiBird Tiles and her Sweetie Petites before and now there are two new gorgeous sewing patterns to add to the OK, Let's Sew! collection.

The Ooshka Babushka doll pattern makes a doll 41 cm tall - great for cuddling or as a pillow. Ooshka Babushka Pattern Kits include a gorgeous face panel printed on linen/cotton blend fabric, a sewing pattern and instructions. You can choose from a cute blonde, redhead or dark-haired doll, and there are instructions for an applique face if you want to create your own.

The Hello Birdie pillow pattern makes a generous 44 cm x 34 cm bird with quilt-like feathers. And if you're not the sewing type, keep an eye out on The Red Thread website as finished pillows will be available to purchase soon.

You can find these OK, Let's Sew! patterns and kits on The Red Thread website and at various stockists around the world. If you're in Sydney this weekend, you can also find them at the excellent Mathila's Markets in Riverview on Sunday from 9am - 1pm (look for The Red Thread stand). See you there!

Images: The Red Thread

Hip Products: Sweetie Petites

Lisa Tilse of The Red Thread is an inspiring artist and member of the craft and design community. I've long loved her art (read more about the Japanese-influenced sushibird tiles here) which always seems to strike a chord with what folks are wanting right now.

And the same can be said for clever Lisa's cute and crafty Sweetie Petites line of sew-your-own dolls. Coinciding (not accidentally) with our growing love of handmade and the Cult of Craft Cool, these kits are designed to make crafting a breeze. Each kit contains all you need to make a Sweetie and her little friend, including printed fabric panels designed by Lisa, stuffing, ribbon loops and sewing instructions. Each doll has her name printed on the back and a little note for her new owner.

Mimi, Molly, Daisy and Ginger would make the perfect gift for anyone yearning to get into handmade; or you can just get a kit for yourself and revel in your crafty talent once your Sweetie is made and delivered to the lucky recipient (or kept!). And great news - Lisa is planning a couple of boisterous boy pals for the Sweeties in the lead-up to Christmas.

You can find Sweetie Petites on The Red Thread online store. Make sure you bookmark Lisa's excellent The Red Thread blog for a well-curated look at design, craft and inspiring finds.

And shop online for kids products from great stores in the Australian Online Kids and Baby Store Directory.

Images: The Red Thread

Welcome New Sponsor Modern Retro Textiles

For all you crafty types, welcome to new Bondville sponsor, Modern Retro Textiles - an Australian online textiles store stocking great fabric and sewing patterns from Australian, US and Japanese designers.

You can let your imagination run wild with sewing patterns for bags, women's clothes, children's clothes, softies, and accessories. Textiles include designs by Nani Iro, Amy Butler, Free Spirit Fabrics, Moda Fabrics and a selection of Australian screenprinted fabrics.

Here are a pick of some of my favourites, clockwise from top left:
Anna Maria Horner Socialite Dress pattern
Amy Butler Midwest Modern fabrics
Thea and Sami Marguerite, aqua on white fabric
Heather Bailey Happy Stacker Ring Toy softie pattern
Joel Dewberry, Jennifer Paganelli and Valori Wells Free Spirit fabrics
Kristen Doran squirrel craft panel

You can find Modern Retro Textiles at the online store. To keep up with new stock and news, check out the Modern Retro Textiles blog.

Images: Modern Retro Textiles